


like ocean waves

by stilljunhui (acyria)



Category: TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Mermaid!Kai, Mermaid!Taehyun, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-11-21 17:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18145382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acyria/pseuds/stilljunhui
Summary: Suddenly, Soobin felt like he was twelve years old again, standing by the edge of the ocean.Staring at a beautiful boy with golden scales on his cheeks.(Mermaid!AU)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so this idea came to me at 1am, when i was gushing to myself over kai's vocals and visuals. soobin's my bias tho. and they're cute together and i've always been one to ship my biases together, so here i am. i also have a yeonbin fic somewhere in the works but writers block hit hard for that one while this one just flowed like the ocean (haha get it?) ((and yes the title is from a seventeen song //carat4lyf)) aNYWAY!
> 
> i finished this in around three sleepless nights while blasting txt's album on repeat, but i'm going to upload it in chapters instead! this was a fun and wild ride to write since i don't usually deal with this kind of genre. while i'm not entirely satisfied with this plotwise, it was still satisfying to finish something like this, especially since i haven't really been writing a lot recently.
> 
> that said, mermaid!kai just felt so right, you know?

Ever since he was twelve years old, Choi Soobin had been afraid of the ocean.

 

It all started when his mother had told him the story of when he had very nearly drowned the first time they decided to take him to the beach. He had loved the water immediately, she said. Along with how well behaved he’s always been, they didn’t think they were going to have a problem with Soobin that day, but they did. One moment he was calmly playing by the shore and when they looked again, he was one step away from swimming to the deeper area where a large wave was incoming, even when they said he shouldn’t.

 

It left him was a scar on his right ankle, from where he must have gotten caught on a rock in his hurry to swim back. 

 

With that, Soobin hasn’t been back to the city beach in a long time—seven years, to be exact—and if he had a choice, he wouldn’t even _be_ back. Unfortunately, the moment his best friend Yeonjun found out about his little phobia, the other boy made it his life’s purpose to convert Soobin into a beach loving, sun-kissed swimmer like himself. Get some colour into Soobin’s pale, squishy cheeks, he said.

 

Since their other friend Beomgyu had a rest house by the beach, it made perfect sense for them to crash there for a week during their summer break. Yeonjun had tried to argue to stay there for a month, but even Beomgyu sided with Soobin against that one; they could all use a break, but they didn’t want to survive on grilled seafood and fruits for a whole month if they can help it, a logic that the other boy agreed with eventually.

 

“Man, that view is awesome! I can’t wait to dive in,” Yeonjun said excitedly the moment they stepped out of the car.

 

It was bright and beautiful sunny day, hotter than most days, but that just made the thought of swimming all the more appealing. The waves were crashing loudly onto the shore leaving white foam as it left, the water a brilliant mix of blues and greens, clear enough that they could see the sand beneath it. It was a picture perfect scene, honestly. If only Soobin actually wanted to swim, then maybe he could enjoy it half as much as he wanted to. 

 

“I can practically hear your fear in tune with the crashing waves,” Beomgyu said teasingly, appearing beside the taller boy, who was still standing frozen by the car. “Do us all a favour and help carry the bags in instead, will ya?”

 

“It’s called a phobia for a reason,” Soobin replied, finally moving from his spot and grabbing his duffel bag from the back of the car, along with the carrier they had that contained food. He had to be bribed to even join them on the beach trip, with promises of almond milk and bread, courtesy of his two friends. At some point, Soobin wondered how he ended up with friends who clearly disrespected his fears. 

 

After the three boys settled into the rest house, Yeonjun took off for the beach immediately, which was no surprise. He was gushing about how long it’s been since he last swam in the ocean for the majority of their car ride there. While Beomgyu shared the same sentiments, he wasn’t as excited, so thankfully Soobin had a companion as he mustered up the courage to leave the house, donned in bright blue swimming trunks.

 

“This is a terrible idea,” Soobin complained the moment he stepped outside. 

 

Next to him, Beomgyu smiled good-naturedly, “we’re barely even near the water yet, Soobin.”

 

Still, just the sight of everything made something in Soobin’s stomach lurch.

 

Being back at the beach was weird because he couldn’t even remember the last time he was there, which was when he nearly drowned. He was twelve at that time, bright eyed and curious. His memory had always been something he was proud of, too. There was no way such an event would have left his mind after it happened, especially since it’s affected his entire being. Still, as much as Soobin tried, he just couldn’t remember what happened that day; at least, what happened once they were on the beach and the events that led to his near death. 

 

It was like he just wasn’t meant to remember. He thought being back at the scene, same beach and everything, would trigger something in his mind, but so far nothing did. Well, his scar throbbed a little with phantom pains, but only when he thought about it so he disregarded that soon enough. He felt uneasy, overall. Maybe not exactly scared, but there was just something about everything that made him nervous.

 

“Is it too late to back out?” 

 

Soobin didn’t even finish his question yet when the other boy began to drag him towards the beach with surprising strength, considering the height difference. Then again, Soobin didn’t have it in him to fight back. A part of him, a tiny part, did want to overcome his fears and just deal with it, considering how he was already there. He was six feet tall. It would be pretty hard to drown him this time around, right? Right.

 

The two stopped just by the edge of where the waves met the sand.

 

“Here we are,” Beomgyu announced cheerfully, gesturing towards the water. “It’s just a few steps. I promise the ocean won’t swallow you alive. We’re here for you.”

 

“Where’s Yeonjun?” Soobin asked instead, scanning the area for the redhead, who was nowhere to be found. What if something happened to him? Sure, he was a great swimmer, being in the school varsity team and all, but the ocean was different from a swimming pool. Right before the panic began to settle in, he heard a loud splash coming from right across them, his friend’s face popping out of the water soon after.

 

Yeonjun waved his arms wildly, “what are you two waiting for?”

 

“You heard him,” the brunette said with a laugh, giving Soobin a pat on the shoulder. “Come on!”

 

He can do this, Soobin thought to himself, taking a deep breath. All things considered, he had nothing to fear. His friends were there with him; they could be bullies sometimes, but they would definitely help him. Plus, he’s got his height going for him. All he had to do was stand up and hope he was taller than the water. Along with that, he even had swimming lessons just to combat any future drowning. He was fine in a pool, sure, but the ocean was vastly different. 

 

After what felt like forever, Soobin took his first few steps towards the water, feeling the waves hit his feet. When he walked forward some more, he immediately felt a sharp burn on his ankle, where his scar should be; one that was definitely not just phantom pains, since a scar that old shouldn’t hurt that badly anymore. Did it have anything to do with the salt water? Soobin liked to believe he was good enough at science to know the answer was no. 

 

“Well, that wasn’t so bad, right?” Yeonjun appeared next to him, distracting him from the pain.

 

“Does this count as conquering my fears?” The taller boy asked, looking down and watching the way the waves flowed through his legs, the water just a little above his knees. “I think I’ve done enough for today.”

 

“No way,” the other boy said with a wicked grin. “It’s now or never!”

 

In retrospect, he should have seen it coming, but Soobin was still surprised when Yeonjun dragged him down. After a few seconds of panic that was pacified only by the fact that he was still pretty near the shore, Soobin allowed himself to slowly enter further into the ocean, stopping just until his head was the only thing above the water level. By then, the waves were a lot calmer, which made the boy calmer, too. 

 

“Okay, yeah, this isn’t so bad,” Soobin finally admitted as he allowed his body to relax.

 

Again, in retrospect, he should have expected something bad to happen the moment he said that, but things seemed to happen in slow motion. As in literally, in slow motion. One moment he was looking at his two friends—both of them, Beomgyu and Yeonjun, he’s positive about that—and the next thing Soobin knew, there was a strong wave that happened the same time he felt a distinct pull on his arm. His friends were near, but not near enough to have done _that._

 

He wasn’t sure when he closed his eyes or how long for that matter, but when he opened them, Soobin was met with a pair of brown eyes staring back at him.

 

“Oh, good, you wake up quickly.”

 

There were a million things running through Soobin’s mind at that moment. For starters, he was on the shore of a beach, but not the beach he remembered, since he was also inside what seemed like a small cave, sunlight pouring through from somewhere above. Bright, shining shells looked like they were plastered on the walls. There was also the fact that the sand was a light pink, and the water that was hitting the shore was definitely a hue of purple. 

 

Then, of course, he couldn’t miss the boy next to him; that is, if Soobin could call the other being a boy at all. The pale skin, hazel eyes, and brown hair was understandable. It’s just when he drifted his eyes lower, he could clearly see a fishtail where legs should be, half submerged in the water. The scales looked golden under the sunlight, hues of yellow and orange bouncing off of it, almost blinding. There were matching patches of scales on the boy’s shoulders and cheeks as well.

 

All Soobin could say was, “what?”

 

The boy—Mermaid? Merman? _Merboy?_ —smiled brightly.

 

“Do you remember me?” He asked, tone hopeful. “It’s been such a long time, I almost thought you would never visit again, but here you are! You probably don’t remember me, do you? I heard from Taehyun that that’s usually what happened, but I hoped it would be different with you.”

 

Soobin watched the brunette bite his lower lip, looking very much like a boy who was worried about something, except the effect was just slightly ruined by the sharp teeth that were also exposed in the process. They were human sized, he noted, just a lot sharper. How did his lips not bleed from that? All things considered, Soobin would have expected himself to remember seeing all this, too, but nothing came to mind. 

 

“I’m sorry, but who are you?” He finally got himself to ask.

 

“I’m Kai Kamal Huening,” the merboy said with an air of regality, like he was introducing someone important. “And you’re Soobin.”

 

“And you’re—“ Soobin was going to say _‘half fish, so like, a mermaid?’_ but was cut off by Kai speaking again.

 

“One of the princes of the Kaey tribe, eastern part of the ocean.”

 

Oh, well, that explained the regality and the way which Kai carried himself, far too prim and proper for a young boy. At least, Soobin figured he was technically still pretty young, probably just a few years younger than him. He didn’t know how time worked underwater or wherever it is Kai came from. He didn’t even know merpeople existed to begin with. Or maybe he did? Kai certainly knew who _he_ was. 

 

“Anyway,” the brunette spoke again without waiting for Soobin’s reaction. “I don’t really have much time here with you. The pearl only lasts for ten minutes without affecting the outside.”

 

“Pearl?” Soobin parroted, feeling lost all over again. It took him a few seconds to realize why he felt like something was off this whole time; his body was dry. “Where exactly are we?”

 

Kai smiled, “inside a special crown pearl. I dragged you under when I felt your presence. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you first, I was just so excited, plus I didn’t want your friends to see me.”

 

“And _how_ did you feel my presence?”

 

“Easy, silly!” The merboy grinned and pointed at Soobin’s scar, which suddenly made sense when Soobin saw the other’s hand. His nails were long, sharp, and blue. For some reason, Soobin expected it to be golden like the rest of him, but then again he didn’t have a basis for his expectations. “I marked you the first time we met; you insisted, but since you don’t remember, I’ll tell you about it some other time. Didn’t you feel it when you entered the water?”

 

“I did,” Soobin admitted, surprised yet also relieved that he wasn’t imagining things earlier, although this whole thing might just be some weird dream to begin with. 

 

“I’m really happy you’re back,” Kai said, sincerity practically dripping from the tone of his voice. He smiled again and it felt like sunshine radiating from his face, making it hard for Soobin to look anywhere else; even the glittering shells on the cavern walls looked dull in comparison to Kai’s smile, which made the human boy confused. Something about the smile did feel familiar, but not completely, like something nagging at the back of his mind, waiting to be uncovered. 

 

He knew they’ve met before, but what exactly happened?

 

“Oh, you have to return soon,” the merboy spoke again when Soobin didn’t, frowning a little. “Can you meet me later by the shore? At night, when your friends are asleep?”

 

Soobin gulped, “you mean head to the ocean alone, at night? Uhm, yeah, I don’t know if you’ve heard but I’m _terrified_ of the ocean.”

 

“Why?” Kai asked, tilting his head to the side a little. “These parts of the ocean are very peaceful. Plus, nothing would dare harm you. They know you’re mine.”

 

He’s _what_ —

 

Before Soobin could get the words out of his mouth, he felt everything shift. The last thing he remembered was Kai shouting something about not forgetting, before the world around him spun and turned black. When he opened his eyes, he was underwater; panic surged within him and made him rise up immediately, only to realize he was just a few steps away from where he last remembered being. 

 

“That was a huge wave, huh?” Yeonjun asked, laughing in delight as he turned towards Soobin. “What’s it like getting devoured by a wave this time? Fun, right?”

 

Not trusting himself to speak, Soobin merely nodded, coughing out some water that went into his mouth. When he looked around him, he could have sworn he saw something golden glitter in the distance and then disappear. He would have thought everything was some weird dream induced by being underwater for the first time in a long time, but Soobin knew better. Besides, the throbbing on his right ankle felt more than real.

 

He snapped himself out of for most of the day, going along with his friends’ antics as much as he can. There were moments where he did manage to go through the day not thinking about mermaids and pearls and Kai Kamal Huening, but sometimes, he’d have to be shaken out of his daze with Beomgyu tapping his shoulder. Dinner was a blur of fried fish (that he felt slightly guilty about) and video games, before they all retired to their bedrooms for the night.

 

All but Soobin, who insisted on doing the dishes they left behind, like a good friend would.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so glad to see people agreeing with mermaid!kai because yES he really is _that_ beautiful !!!

Once Yeonjun’s snoring could be heard, Soobin quietly made his way to the front door

 

“So, where are you off to?”

 

The tall boy jumped a little before turning around to see Beomgyu’s all too innocent looking face, watching him closely. The younger boy looked like he already knew exactly where Soobin was going, which didn’t make much sense, but then again—Beomgyu’s always been the perceptive one of the group. Still, how was he supposed to answer that? A person scared of the ocean, about to go to the ocean, in the middle of the night?

 

“Uhm, a quick walk?” Soobin opted to say.

 

“A walk, huh?” The brunette repeated with a small hum. “Dressed in swimming shorts?”

 

“Well, it _is_ a beach.”

 

Beomgyu shrugged, “you’re not wrong. Do you need me to go with you? Aren’t you scared of the water?”

 

“I think the ocean and I are friends now,” Soobin said, remembering what Kai said about how the waters were peaceful and that nothing would harm him because Soobin was _his_ , whatever that meant, although the thought made his cheeks flush a little. He hoped Beomgyu didn’t notice, but Beomgyu definitely noticed if the little smirk on the other’s face was anything to tell by as he waved goodbye and headed out the door. He would have to ask the brunette what he knew some other time.

 

Truth be told, the raven haired boy was still very much afraid of the ocean.

 

Especially at night.

 

It was even worse at night, actually. With just the moon as a source of light, the blue waters were now a solid black, with white moonlight radiating off of it. The waves were still rushing back and forth from the shore, even louder now that there weren’t much people around as earlier to block out the noise. How did some people find this noise calming? All Soobin could think of was how much he regretted being there, but he couldn’t find it in him to stop walking.

 

There was no sign of Kai anywhere.

 

Was he supposed to just go in the water and wait for his scar to work its magic? Soobin couldn’t think of anything else as he slowly, but deliberately, walked closer to the ocean. When his finally got at least both of his feet submerged under water, he held his breath and waited for something to happen. Anything, like maybe the ocean would swallow him whole again. Maybe even open up a path for him, he didn’t know.

 

Instead he just felt the same pain again. Plus his feet were getting cold. 

 

After what felt like a few more minutes, Soobin could finally see something glowing in the distance.

 

There was no mistaking the golden fishtail, still bright even under the dim moonlight, almost like Kai just carried the sun with him wherever he went. It was headed straight towards Soobin, only to stop a few feet away, with the merboy’s head popping out of the water soon after. There was already a wide smile plastered on the other’s face as he swam closer to Soobin, who could only stare in shock. 

 

“Why are you still standing there?” Kai asked as he waded around the water. “Swim with me!”

 

“The ocean is scary,” the human boy said, feeling dumb as he did so.

 

There was a moment of silence before Kai burst out into laughter that sounded so _musical_ , Soobin felt like everything around him freeze. There was no way to explain it; soft piano notes? A violin solo? A harp of some sort? Not just that, but there was something inexplicably familiar about the sound, too. Like something Soobin’s kept buried in the back of his mind, a constant reminder of something he couldn’t even remember.

 

Suddenly, he felt like he was twelve years old again, standing by the edge of the ocean.

 

Staring at a beautiful boy with golden scales on his cheeks.

 

Much like the present, actually, Soobin realized with a start. He’s been in the same situation before. There was a mental image in his head of what seemed like a much younger Kai, same golden tail only a lot smaller, scrawnier in size overall. The sun was shining off of him and for a moment, Soobin remembered wondering whether he could touch Kai’s scales, right before the merboy spoke. He had asked a question.

 

“Soobin, will you play with me?”

 

The human boy realized with a start that he was no longer just remembering things when he heard Kai ask again, louder this time. 

 

“Play with you?” Soobin repeated. He felt like he already knew the answer to his next question, but he still needed to ask. He needed to be sure. “How will I do that?”

 

“Just get in the water!”

 

Easier said than done, Soobin thought as he submerged himself further into the water. It was a lot colder than it was earlier afternoon. Plus, he was pretty sure his heart was close to beating out of his chest with how nervous he was. The water was cold, dark, and scary. Everything he hated. Still, he kept his eyes trained on what was in front of him. Kai looked warm, bright, and happy. Like a giddy kid finally getting his prize.

 

“This is the fun part,” the brunette said once he was satisfied with where Soobin was standing, neck deep in the water. He pulled off the necklace he was wearing, one Soobin didn’t even notice was there at first and definitely wasn’t there when they met earlier. It was made out of teardrop shaped pearls. Kai looked positively ecstatic as he spoke again, “all you have to do is wear this.”

 

“Have I done this before?” 

 

There was a look of surprise on the merboy’s face when Soobin asked, but he quickly masked his features into another smile as he nodded.

 

“It’s a special kind of sea magic,” Kai explained, holding the necklace up for the other boy to see better. “It will give you the ability to breathe underwater and see things that an ordinary human wouldn’t be able to see, considering we weren’t made the same way. Are you ready?”

 

Soobin frowned a little, “why can’t I remember what happened before?”

 

For the first time since they’ve met that day, Kai looked a little sad. 

 

“It’s a long story, but I promise I’ll tell you,” the merboy said. There was something in his tone, a silent plea to drop the topic, which Soobin caught onto immediately. Well, there was no need to make Kai sad if he could help it. Actually, seeing the merboy sad made Soobin’s own heart drop, too, so he was doing them both a favour. Without another word, he took the necklace from Kai’s hand and wore it around his neck.

 

Almost immediately, his vision shifted.

 

The dark, black waters looked blue again, clearer than even before. He could see the ocean floor and the tiny fishes that swam by. He must have been smiling because Kai began to smile as well, looking happy again as he took Soobin’s hand in his. Sharp nails dug into Soobin’s skin a little, but the latter didn’t mind, holding on tight when Kai dragged them both underwater. He already knew the water wouldn’t sting this time around, so he kept his eyes open.

 

Soobin swam next to Kai past colourful coral reefs, patches of seaweed, and more fish than he could even imagine. He knew he wasn’t imagining things when he felt the fishes make way just for them underwater. If he could understand fishes, he would even assume they were talking about them, but that was something he’d ask the merboy about instead. Kai would glance towards him now and then with a grin on his face, but also as if to make sure the human boy was actually still around.

 

Eventually, just when Soobin’s legs were beginning to feel tired, Kai grabbed his wrist and swam upwards, where the two emerged next to a large rock. 

 

“Well?” Kai asked as he shook the water out of his hair. “What do you think? Is the ocean still scary?”

 

“It’s still scary, but it’s also beautiful,” Soobin said, tempted to add _just like you_ at the end of his answer. 

 

It was the truth. While Kai may have been nothing but nice this whole time, there was still that layer of mystery Soobin had yet to uncover. Most of it was the past and what happened when they met before, but just like the ocean, it felt like that story had a lot more layers than it seemed. None of which Kai seemed ready to share just yet. So yes, he was beautiful in every way, but also scary. Even with the pointy teeth and sharp nails aside.

 

Kai smiled, “we’re going to work on that fear of yours.”

 

“If you could fix it within the week, sure,” Soobin joked, before realizing what he said upon seeing Kai’s smile disappear. 

 

“You’re only here for a week?”

 

The human shifted awkwardly on the rock, “yeah.”

 

“Don’t you want to stay longer?” The merboy asked—pleaded, even—staring at Soobin with his wide, hazel eyes, looking like a kicked puppy. “It’s great here, right?”

 

“Underwater with this necklace, sure,” Soobin said, a little uncertain with where he was going with his answer. He didn’t want to make Kai feel sad; he was sure of that, but he was also sure that as much as the ocean was beautiful, he still wasn’t keen on the idea of staying by the beach forever. The thought of leaving Kai didn’t sit well with him, though, which made Soobin wonder why. Still, he was human. The ocean was no place for him.

 

“Just with the necklace?” Kai pressed, pouting just a little. “Not with me?”

 

Who knew he could be so forward? Soobin felt his face flush at the question as he hoped Kai’s vision didn’t include being able to detect the pink hue of his cheeks.

 

“I-it’s nice with you, too.”

 

That earned him a bright smile as a reward, but soon after, Kai fell silent. 

 

“I wasn’t supposed to talk to you the first time,” the brunette spoke, voice so soft that Soobin almost didn’t hear him. “I got into a lot of trouble.”

 

“Why did you?” Soobin asked, keeping his voice soft as well, careful not to ruin the mood. He watched the merboy sigh deeply and look towards the horizon, where the moon reflected off the water and also off his hazel eyes, making them looking even brighter than usual. Soobin has never seen eyes that made looking sad so beautiful at the same time, but he was beginning to accept that he found everything about Kai beautiful at that point.

 

“Things just felt right,” the merboy finally said.

 

That was the last thing Soobin got from him that night, as Kai quickly brushed the topic away and suggested they head back since it was getting late. The older boy couldn’t bring himself to argue. They swam back to the shore where they met at a much slower pace than earlier, like they were taking their time. When they reached the shore, Soobin began to take the necklace off, but Kai stopped him with an almost panicked expression on his face.

 

“Don’t take it off,” he said firmly. “Keep it on until you have to leave the beach.”

 

Without explaining, Kai swam back into the ocean and soon became too distant for even Soobin with the necklace could see.


	3. Chapter 3

The whole exchange only left the human boy with more questions than answers. 

 

When he walked back to the rest house, it didn’t take long for him to get ready for bed and fall into a deep sleep. He dreamt about purple waters that engulfed him, peaceful at first, but soon turning darker and darker. There was a golden fishtail in the distance, but it stayed far away, never swimming closer even when Soobin himself felt like he was swimming towards it. He could feel the necklace around his neck, cold against his warm skin.

 

He could still feel it when he woke up the next morning to sunlight streaming through the window.

 

Most of all, to Beomgyu standing next to his bed.

 

“What are you doing just _staring_ at me?” Soobin asked, scurrying to sit up on the bed. 

 

“You’re wearing a necklace,” the brunette said pointedly. “You weren’t wearing that when you left.”

 

“Uhm, I found it on the beach?”

 

Beomgyu’s expression softened, “you’re gonna need a better excuse for when Yeonjun asks, Soobin.”

 

“Wait, is that why you’re here?” The older boy rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, trying to process the situation and what he could deduce from what was happening. “You know where I got this necklace, don’t you? Listen, Beomgyu, I’m gonna need to ask you _a lot_ of questions. First of all—“

 

“First of all, we’re going to eat lunch. It’s almost one in the afternoon, you guys sleep like _logs_ ,” Beomgyu interrupted with a shake of his head. “Then, we’re going to swim in the beach, where you’re going to act like nothing’s different other than your phobia being fixed. If Yeonjun asks, you bought that necklace from a peddler. Okay?”

 

Soobin blinked, “I don’t think my phobia is fixed, but okay.”

 

“This is going to be a long week,” the other boy said with a heavy sigh as he left the room.

 

Honestly, Soobin agreed. He just wanted answers, was that too much to ask? First he had Kai skirting around the edges of the topic, then there’s Beomgyu who clearly knew something as well, but didn’t want to say anything either. The only normal thing that week was Yeonjun and the way he would scarf down food and not care about the time it took before he could go swimming again. Right after lunch, the boy took off for the beach. He didn’t even ask about the necklace at all. 

 

“He _really_ likes the beach,” Soobin stated.

 

Next to him, Beomgyu nodded in agreement, “that’s an understatement.” 

 

“Are you going to tell me what you know now?”

 

“Not the right time.”

 

“And _when_ is the right time? Because nobody’s been giving me _any_ answers,” the taller boy said exasperatedly. “Do you know how frustrating this is for me?”

 

As if to add salt to the wound, Beomgyu didn’t even bother answering him, choosing instead to wade into the water and soon disappeared to join Yeonjun in swimming around. At least this time, Soobin could enter the water without a problem. The necklace made the already clear water even clearer, also giving him the ability to see further into the water than he could the day before. It did help him feel a little bit better about being in the ocean. 

 

When he caught a glimpse of gold, Soobin dove beneath the surface without a second thought.

 

Despite being quite far away from each other, he could see Kai’s face pretty clearly. The merboy was swimming around in circles, stopping when he realized he caught the human’s attention. Even underwater, his smile caught the sunlight well enough to shine brightly. Either that, or Soobin was biased and found the other’s smile to be blinding no matter what situation. Perhaps a little bit of both. He was sorely tempted to swim towards Kai, when he felt himself being pulled up.

 

“Dude, it’s great you’re fine with the water now and all, but don’t purposely try and kill yourself.”

 

“I just wanted to see how long I can stay underwater,” Soobin lied, looking away from Yeonjun. “Since I’m already here.”

 

Thankfully, the redhead didn’t find anything wrong with that, “you were there pretty long for someone who doesn’t swim much.”

 

Soobin shrugged and soon the topic was dropped in favour of playing around the water some more. Under Beomgyu’s watchful eye, Soobin didn’t try and look for Kai again, careful to keep things natural. He didn’t know how, but he could just tell that the merboy was still around the waters somewhere, watching them. For a brief moment, he considered telling Kai that letting Yeonjun know would be fine. They could trust him. Plus, Beomgyu already seemed to know more than enough.

 

When they stopped swimming with the decision to take a quick afternoon nap, Soobin opted to stay behind, claiming he just wanted to enjoy the ocean now that he was no longer scared. 

 

“Be careful,” Beomgyu told him before he left with Yeonjun. 

 

Be careful of _what?_ Soobin wished he knew. Instead, he went back inside the water as deep as he could muster, waiting just a minute or so before he felt a distinct pull on his arm. Diving down, he was met with Kai already smiling, before the merboy began swimming away. He still had his fingers wrapped around Soobin’s wrist, pulling him deeper into the ocean with him. So deep, in fact, that the human was sure that without the necklace he would have been a goner. The thought scared him.

 

He wasn’t sure how far down they’ve swam when more colourful rocks and shells began to appear, practically iridescent despite being deep underneath the ocean, where sunlight shouldn’t be able to reach them anymore. Kai kept on swimming, barely looking back; if he did, he would have seen Soobin’s awed expression at their surroundings. Patches of various coloured seaweed soon made way for something the human boy never thought he would see.

 

A castle shining in the distance.

 

It gave him really big Little Mermaid vibes, if he had to describe it.

 

However, instead of heading for the castle, Kai took a sharp right and began swimming upwards instead. Soobin didn’t notice just how deep below the water he was until they emerged and his legs ached from overuse. Thankfully, Kai had chosen to surface near what looked like a small island. The pink sand was an indicator that they probably weren’t in the normal world again like when they had entered a pearl, but the rest of their surroundings looked the same as Soobin would image.

 

“We should be fine here,” the merboy announced as Soobin stepped onto the shore and sat down, breathing heavily. 

 

The dark haired boy glanced around, seeing no other island in sight, “so where are we now?”

 

“Merfolk of the Kaey tribe gather on this island when we want sun,” Kai explained as he lifted his own body onto the sand, ending up in a sitting position with only his tail still touching the water, matching the way Soobin was seated. “It’s only accessible through a path near the castle, so humans can’t get here since you wouldn’t even see the castle without the necklace.”

 

“But we’re alone.”

 

“It’s not sun bathing time,” the other replied simply, as if Soobin was supposed to just _know_ how merpeople schedules went.

 

When the human boy said nothing, Kai continued.

 

“There are a lot of differences between my kind and yours,” he began to say, taking Soobin’s hand in his. Kai seemed to be comparing their hands; the short, stubby human nails against his pale skin along with the sharp, blue nails against Soobin’s own hand. The human didn’t notice it at first, but in between the merboy’s fingers was a web-like film. He let go soon after and continued, “in our culture, we have this concept of twin souls.”

 

Kai explained how they believed that long ago, when the different species were created, Apollo foresaw a future filled with hatred. All because of differences; in appearance, in language, in culture. It explained how the merfolk grew to hide away under the waters, after some problems encountered with humankind long ago, in an attempt to prevent a war. A golden rule was formed that they must never interact with other species; humans especially.

 

However, to counter this terrible future, Aphrodite developed the concept of twin souls. Two halves of a whole. A missing link to make peace between species and even races. Humans could be bonded with humans, but they could also be bonded with a merfolk, as a way to find love amidst the animosity that grew. Love that would break all odds, no matter what, as long as the two halves find each other. 

 

“I just knew you were mine,” the merboy ended, a hint of pink tinting the golden scales on his cheeks as he stared into Soobin’s eyes. “Seven whole years ago, when you first appeared on that beach.”

 

Soobin’s throat felt dry at the revelation, although he was certain he was blushing as well.

 

It’s not everyday someone tells him that he had a merboy as a soulmate, after all.

 

“How?”

 

With that, Kai looked away before he spoke, “I was young and foolish, a bit of a rebel in the family, and I swam away from the castle often. That was how I ended up near the shore of the beach. You spotted me and didn’t shy away, while your parents just didn’t notice. I offered if we could play and took you with me, in a pearl, like I did yesterday.”

 

“But that was only ten minutes,” Soobin pointed out. In his head, he was wondering how ten minutes managed to give him a scar that he apparently _asked_ for, along with how sure Kai was that they were soulmates. There was the case of the necklace, too, that he was absolutely certain now he’s worn before, like a familiar weight on his neck. All that when he was twelve years old? In ten minutes? There was no way. Something wasn’t adding up.

 

“Kai, what are you not telling me?” He pressed, watching something that looked like guilt appear in the younger’s eyes.

 

The merboy took a deep breath before he spoke, “I didn’t join you in the pearl.” 

 

“You _kidnapped_ me?”

 

“Well, if you put it that way, it sounds _horrible_ ,” Kai argued, pouting a little. “You willingly came with me, I gave you the necklace, and we played together.”

 

“For how long?” Soobin asked, although he could already tell it must have been more than just the ten minutes he was supposed to spend in the pearl along with wherever Kai took him. Not just that, but his mother clearly stated that it took mere seconds from the point where he was playing on the sand and when he was already in the water. It was far too quick for anything to have happened, but if he didn’t remember anything, could it be neither did his parents?

 

Before Kai could answer though—if he was going to at all—there was a loud splash nearby them.

 

Swimming a few feet away was another young merboy, who looked like he was, quite frankly, _very_ annoyed as he stared right at Kai. He had light brown hair and the same wide eyes. His tail was a warmer hue in comparison to Kai’s gold, appearing almost orange instead, with hints of red as it swished underwater. Soobin could feel the tension in the air immediately, but he didn’t think he was supposed to be the one saying anything at the moment.

 

“Kai,” the other merboy spoke, voice stern. “You said you wouldn’t do this again.”

 

“He’s my _twin soul_ , Taehyun,” Kai whined, suddenly grabbing Soobin’s hand again and holding it tight enough for his nails to _really_ dig in, but the human said nothing.

 

Taehyun didn’t even glance at the dark haired boy, “and he’s _human_ , Kai.”

 

“So is yours!”

 

“Was,” the merboy corrected quietly, before continuing, tone softer than before. “And you saw how that turned out, didn’t you? My soulmate’s gone. You were already punished the first time with the mess you made. You’re lucky you’re the favourite child otherwise you knew what would have happened to this human _and_ his entire family, at that. They barely escaped with their life. The human shouldn’t be here.”

 

Sitting there on the sand, listening to the whole conversation, Soobin wanted to think the whole thing was a dream. His head was beginning to hurt from all the information he was getting. On top of that, he could swear he began to see images in his head that looked like fragments of his memory, which maybe contributed to the headache he was getting as well. From what he could gather, Taehyun _really_ didn’t like him. For good reason, too.

 

“Take him back,” Taehyun spoke again. “And I won’t tell anybody what you did.”

  
“Okay,” Kai muttered, squeezing Soobin’s hand one last time before he let go. 

 

“And take the necklace back. You know the rules.”

 

Once Taehyun swam back down, Kai soon followed without another word, as the still confused human boy followed soon after him. As always, the latter had a million things he wanted to say and even more he wanted to ask, but after what he just witnessed, he didn’t want to pressure the merboy further. If it were true that they were soulmates—and maybe that was the _one_ thing Soobin believed in, after all this—then there was no need to add more sadness to Kai’s life. 

 

He just wished he got some answers, at least.

 

When they neared the shore, Kai swam up behind a large rock to avoid being seen.

 

“I’m sorry,” the brunette said immediately. “I was being selfish.”

 

Soobin shook his head, “hey, no, it’s okay. I’ve still got questions, though. About everything, so maybe just one question. What _really_ happened?”

 

“Might as well, since I won’t see you again,” the merboy conceded and soon, began to retell the missing bits and pieces of the story, just as Soobin was beginning to remember the same. Kai had brought him to the same island, where they talked about anything and everything under the sun. The merboy had so many questions about the world above, while Soobin had his own curiosities about the world below. Everything, as Kai would put it, felt right.

 

It felt like forever before they were caught.

 

When they were caught, by more than just a few of the palace guards, it took a long time before Kai managed to convince his father—the king—to let Soobin go. That involved bringing in one of the sea witches. His parents had been looking for him all over the beach for close to two hours and they saw how Soobin was brought back via a carriage of dolphins, so their memories had to be wiped as well. Most importantly, the human boy who experienced everything had to forget. 

 

“You didn’t ask for the mark,” Kai eventually confessed, staring down into the water at Soobin’s ankle. “When they were taking you away, I clung to you and accidentally scratched you. I pleaded with the sea witch if there was anything that could be done. She just winked at me. Yesterday, I just _felt_ you, like a missing part of me was back under the ocean.”

 

“Okay,” Soobin chose to say; what else could he?

 

He was torn between feeling slighted about the whole ordeal; how Kai just straight up _took_ him from his parents, but then, as his memories came filtering back in, he could distinctly remember how things went. He couldn’t find it in him to be mad at the younger boy (Kai was two years younger, he recalled with a start), since he did go willingly, so maybe he wasn’t taken. More than just _willingly_. He saw the golden boy and his heart just told him to follow.

 

Now, nature was just running its course, it seemed.

 

“Once you take the necklace off, you’re going to forget me,” Kai said, voice barely above a whisper as he then began to explain how the necklaces—back then just a harmless magical artefact—were further enchanted with memory magic, just to make sure similar situations stopped happening. “And everything we had. Again.”

 

“Not if I can help it.”

 

Neither noticed when Beomgyu had spotted them or even managed to swim over, but he was a few feet away, a pained expression present on his features.

 

Soobin was about to introduce his friend, but Kai had already been staring at the other boy in shock.

 

“Beomgyu,” the merboy said, surprised. 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope ya'll enjoy reading this because this just managed to overtake a junhao oneshot i have for longest oneshot i've ever written, probably because i really really really tried to give this more Substance than usual...
> 
> next chapter up in a few days or a week!
> 
> If you like my work and would like to support me, please consider buying me coffee! https://ko-fi.com/stilljunhui


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